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Sunday 24 November 2013

2 Kings 5 - Don't be proud

This is one of the well-known stories in 2 Kings, the healing of Naaman. As happens periodically, it is a non-Jew who receives God's blessing, reminding us that God has no favourites, and His eventual mission is to the world. As God said to Abraham, "all nations will be blessed through you" (Gen 12:2,3).
Note in verse 1 that the victory of Aram over Israel is attributed to the Lord. Naaman was the commander of the army but had leprosy. During the course of their wars an Israeli girl had been captured, and she was serving Naaman's wife. Evidently she had heard of Elisha and told her mistress that the prophet could heal Naaman. So God was working through the the minutiae of events. 
Naaman sought permission from his king and off he went. First Naaman went to the king, who was greatly distressed, knowing that he did not have the power to heal, and fearing the consequences. However, Elisha heard about this and sorted things out.
Elisha gave his famous instruction to Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan. Naaman was displeased about this, for it offended his pride. When we come to God we must come in humility, we need to recognise the true nature of our position in life. Fortunately one of Naaman's servants enabled him to see sense, Naaman did dip in the Jordan and was healed.
Naaman wanted to give Elisha a gift, but Elisha refused. Naaman also asked that the Lord would forgive him for he had to go to the temple of Rimmon as part of his job. Naaman now recognised who the Lord was.
While Naaman's servants had been very helpful to him, indeed vital in enabling him to receive the blessing of God, Elisha's servant was far less righteous. He saw a chance to make a killing from Naaman. As a result Gehazi was struck with leprosy.

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